Mop swab for use on smooth surfaced floorings and the like



.April 24, 1945. F. c. vBRENNAN Ar-:vmf 2,374,170

MOP SWAB FOR USE ON SMOOTH SURFACIED` FLOORINGS AND THE LIKE oiginal Filed May 17, 1959 @y @QM u v cy.

Patented Apr. 24, 1945,

i Mor sWABFoR USE oNsMoorH sURFAcED FLooRINGsANo THELIKE Frank C. Brennan and John S. Brennan, St.

Louis, Mo., and Lester J. Reysa, Cedar Rapids,

' Iowa, assgnors t0 J. S. Costello & Son'Brush Co., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri original application May 17,V 1939, serial No. 274,160. Divided and this application July 10, 1941, Serial No. 401,764

2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and yuseful improvements in mops and is a division of o ur co-pending applicationy Serial No. 274,160, led May 17, 1939 (later abandoned), and vpertains more particularly to that character of mops known to the trade as dustless sweeper mops, and

the invention having for one of its primary purposes, the provision of means to provide a swab of an improved construction for a mop.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sleeve-like swab of a relatively flat structure.

A further object is to provide a; swab with an improved cooperable supporting frame which forms part of the mop.

Still another object is to provide an improved A.

removable and reversible swab structure.

Another object is to provide an improved double-faced swab for a mop. e.

A still further object is to provide a swab for a mop to serve as a head or brush end therefor, of an improved construction wherein balling or bunching of the yarn or twine is eliminated when the swab is mounted on a cooperable holding frame.

With the foregoing andother objects in view which will appear'as the description proceeds, our invention resides in the combination and arrangement of lparts and in ,the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges may be made within the scope of whatis claimed without departing from the spirit-0f' the invention.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated n of the mo'p for the purpose of illustrating the yarn or twin structure thereof.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, this improved swab comprises a pair of fabric layers Ii which are secured together by lon- 8 of the layers when the layers are positioned together ready for stitching.

`The longitudinal stitching 1 adjacent the side edge's of the layers'provides a pocket 9 between the layers 6, and as the layers are relatively long as lshown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the pocket 9 consequently will be relatively long.

Secured in longitudinally spaced rows on each layer by stitching I0, are looped strands of yarn or twine Il, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 Specifically, the strands II vary in `length and in which the outer strands I Ia' are of a longer length than the intermediate strands, the intermediate strands I Ib being the shortest in length, `and the strands which are outer disposed from the strands IIb varying in length to that of theouter disposed strands IIa. This arrangement of varying stran'd lengths has for its purpose to provide a uniformly flat floor contacting layer to the swab when the swab' is mounted on a mop frame and in use on a floor surface.

In` securing the strands to respective layers 6, the strands arestitched to the layers before they are secured together by the longitudinal stitching 'l and as the ends I2 of the\layers are free of secured together stitching, these layers provide an vopen-ended envelope I3 to which the yarn strands II are secured vfor providing the swab I4. v A'preferred supporting frame for the swab I4 is shown at I5, this frame 'being of tubular structure and formed from a suitable tube length of relatively large diameter and bent into an oblong shape and having rounded ends I6. Secured at its ends to' the runs I1 of the frame I5 is a handle attaching block I8 having a securingsocket for a handle I9, the space on each side of the block I8 within the confines provided by the tubular structure of the frame I5, providing respective pockets 20 for purposes hereinafter described.

Each layer 6 of the swab I4 is provided with an aperture or slit 2| intermediate its length, and in assembling the mop in readiness for use for dusting and polishing smooth surfaced oorings and thev like, the frame I5 is inserted at 'one of its rounded ends I6 in one end of the envelope I3 of the swab I4 and is slid therein to a position wherein the apertures 2I are in alinement with the block I8 so that the handle I9 can be engaged through the uppermost aperture and secured to the block. y

The envelopev I3 of the swab I4 is preferably made longer than the frame I5 so that the rounded ends' I6 of the frame will be disposed gtudnal stitching 1 adjacent each side margin 55 a distance inwardly from each end of the envelope of the swab and so that there will be sufficient material length for the envelope ends to collapse and meet, whereby the upper layer will rest on the lower layer of the envelope to provide materiall protecting end lengths for preventing the frame ends from engaging and marring furniture and the like.

In the use of a mop having this improved swab as a part thereof, the arrangement of the varying strand lengths in which the vintermediate strands are shorter in length than the outer strands, provides a swab structure capable of presenting a fiat floor contacting layer and in which balling or bunching of the swab'into a. rounded contacting surface layer is prevented. Specifically, the intermediate shorter strands of the swab provide space on the under side of the working surface thereof for the crowding in of the long outer strands in the event the long strands Work thereunder, thusmaintaining the 'lal-l oor contacting layer.

To assist in maintaining a flat contacting layer on either working surface of the swab, it is preferable to support the swab by an insertable frame in the form of an annulus, as indicated and shown by the frame lrwherein a pocket 20 is provided on each side of the handle block I8 as these pockets willpermit an upward flexing of the lower disposed layer 22 of the envelope of the swab, thereby providing space or room at the intermediate working surface portion of the swab for the crowding in of the outer disposed longer twine strands lla of the swab so that bunching or balling of the twine strands is elimihated.

After one side. of the swab has been suinciently used, the handle l 9 is removed from the block I8 and the swab I4 is slid from the frame I 5 and turned over and re-mounted on the frame to present the other side of the swab for use as a floor working brush, the handle i9 being inserted in the aperture or slit 2| in the used side of the envelope or swab I4 and remounted in the socket of the block i8 of the frame l5.

While it is quite apparent that a double working surface brush-is provided by this improved swab which obviously will give longer life to the swab, convenience in dismantling the swab isA also provided by reason of the fact that; it is but required to remove the handle to permit withdrawal of the frame from either end of the envelope of the swab for laundering purposes of the brush.

While we have described one embodiment of our invention with some particularity, obviously many other embodimentsfthereof may occur to those skilled in the art to which it appertains. We, therefore, do not limit ourselves to the precise details described, but claim as our invention all variations and modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

1. A reversible lmop swab comprising an elongated sleeve-like member open -at least on one end for the insertion of a swab supporting frame and flattened to form adjacent opposing layers, each of said-layers having long twine strands secured and disposed parallel to the side edges thereof in longitudinal rows, said strands adapted to extend over the side edges of said layers for `floor engagement when the swab is in use, rows of short strands secured to and extending from the approximate longtutdinal center of each vlayer and paralleling said long strand rows, and

other strands of varying length secured in rows to each layer and paralleling said other strand rows and disposed between said long and said short strand rows and receding in length from the long strands to the short strands, all of said strands extending from the outside of said member. y

2. A reversible mop ,swabcomprising an elongated sleeve-llke member open at least on one end and flattened to 'form adjacent opposing layers for the insertion of a supporting frame therefor, twin strands of varying length secured to each layer on longitudinal lines the approximate length thereof with the longest strands disposed parallel to the side edges of each layer and adapted to extend over the side edges for floor engagement when the swab is in use, the shortest of said strands extending from the approximate longitudinal center of each layer, the strands between the shortest strands and the longest stra-nds increasing in length from the shortest strands to the longest strands and disposed parallel thereto, and each layer having an opening for the insertion of a handle for securing it to the frame.

FRANK C. BRENNAN. JOHN S. BRENNAN. LESTER J. REYSA. 

